A 49-year-old man has admitted kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 10-year-old boy and abducting a girl in separate incidents.

The man, who cannot be be named, pleading guilty to kidnapping, falsely imprisoning and sexually assaulting the boy as he walked to shops in Oldbury, West Midlands last November.

He also admitted abducting a 10-year-old girl last September.

A date for sentencing at Wolverhampton Crown Court has yet to be determined.

The defendant, who pleaded guilty to a further charge of kidnap with intent to commit a sexual offence in connection with the boy, entered his pleas from HMP Woodhill in Buckinghamshire.

'Something sinister'

He was further remanded in custody following Friday's hearing.

Det Ch Insp Gary Booth, from West Midlands Police, said the boy disappeared when his journey to the shops should have only taken a "matter of minutes".

Neighbours and police searched nearby homes and buildings before police forced entry to a flat in Lowry Court, Bristnall Hall Road, in Oldbury and found the boy inside.

"The boy should only have been gone from home for a matter of minutes but his short journey to the local shop turned into something far more sinister as the defendant abducted him and took him away from safety to a nearby location," he said.

"Thankfully, the alarm was raised swiftly and the quick actions of police and the local community meant we were able to return the child to his family without him having suffered significant injury."